It is to be noted that no grouping of words can fully express all that might be said as to our convictions and doctrinal position. However, as a general and comprehensive combination of the principal factors for which Reach Beyond stands, the following expresses our statement of faith:
We believe …
1. THE TRINITY: We believe in one God, existing in a trinity of persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 15:26), who are eternal and of equal dignity and power (Matthew 3:16, 17).
2. THE BIBLE: We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, verbally inspired and without error as originally written, and that it is the only infallible rule of faith and practice for the Christian (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
3. THE PLAN OF SALVATION: We believe in Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20), born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35), whose death on the cross for the redemption of sinners provided a sufficient and complete propitiation for their sin and guilt (1 John 4:10; Ephesians 1:7), and who rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25), ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for all those who come unto God by Him (Hebrews 7:25). All who believe in and receive the Lord Jesus Christ have eternal life; those who do not will be eternally lost (John 1:12; John 3:36; Romans 10:9,10; 1 John 5:11, 12). We wait for the “blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13), and we believe that all things shall finally be subjected to God through him (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).
4. THE CHURCH: We believe that the true church, which is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23), is formed by the work of the Holy Spirit in all those who trust Christ as their Saviour (Ephesians 2:22 and 1 Corinthians 12:13).
5. THE CHRISTIAN’S MINISTRY: In view of Christ’s last command (Matthew 28:19, 20) and recognising the lost condition of all those who fail to accept the gospel message (John 3:18, 36), we believe in the urgency of every Christian’s responding to the great commission of Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
It is to the work of helping to carry out the plan of God in this age that Reach Beyond is dedicated, in conformity with the last command of our Saviour to “be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). With the God-given means at our disposal, the message of the gospel, which “is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16), is being literally carried to the ends of the earth. We also seek to carry out the command of our Saviour to teach all nations (Matthew 28:20), in addition to evangelising them.